‘Teen Wolf’ S3E8 Recap: Behind Blue Eyes

Last night’s Teen Wolf, “Visionary,” was absolutely full of enlightening exposition that answered plenty of key questions whilst also setting up the next step in the gradually unfolding Druid/Alphas saga. As Scott and Allison questioned Gerard Argent for information about the Deucalion, Stiles and Cora simultaneously quizzed Peter Hale on Derek’s personality (after Derek disappeared to grieve over Boyd), beginning with the moment(s) that changed him into the broody, blue-eyed werewolf he is today. By throwing in flashbacks to Derek’s high school years, “Visionary” managed to avoid being a snooze-worthy episode full of talk and no action–Derek’s past was not only interesting (thanks to decently-cast actors as young Derek and his lady-love, Paige, though Peter’s younger self was a bit of a miscast), but also genuinely touching and tragic.

I’ll start at the beginning.

Allison took Scott to Gerard’s, who, in exchange for answers, wanted Scott to use his nifty pain-sucking trick; Scott obliged, and, after a bit of hem-hawing and Allison threatening to leave, Gerard finally launched into his story. Across town, Peter began his own story that nicely complimented Gerard’s, because both involved the period of time when a handful of wolf packs were running around Beacon Hills. In both stories, Gerard and Mr. Argent were hunting the Alphas, who were still split into three separate packs: the Deucalion (not yet blinded) headed one, while Barefooted Psychopath and Ennis headed the others. Seeking guidance on how to proceed against the hunters (after the hunters shot an arrow through the neck of one wolf, and then hung him from the ceiling of an abandoned building before slicing him in half), the trio of wolf packs waited for none other than Talia Hale, Derek’s mother, who was respected by the others because of her unique shifting abilities.

Photo Courtesy of MTV

Meanwhile, a cocky young Derek Hale was falling in love with violinist Paige. But, as their relationship grew more serious, Derek fell into brooding over how he’d keep the secret of his lycanthropy from her. With the help of an all-too-eager Peter, Derek decided he’d turn his girlfriend into a wolf as well. He needed an Alpha to do the biting, and Peter decided to sic Ennis on the poor girl. Tragedy struck after Paige was bitten–turns out, not everyone can handle the werewolf curse/gift. Derek took his dying girlfriend to the base of a ritualistic Druid tree (more on that in a minute), and, to put her out of her misery, Derek killed her himself. As a result of killing an innocent, his golden eyes turned bright blue. Truly sad stuff–though Cora and Stiles did question the accuracy of Peter’s retelling after realizing they were only hearing one side of the story. I’m sure we’ll be hearing Derek’s side soon enough.

Back to that Druid tree. Gerard and Mr. Argent stumbled across the site of a Druid meeting place and discovered markings (and blood) on the base of an old, giant tree. Mr. Argent realized the symbols on the tree meant the werewolf packs were receiving guidance from some Druid emissaries. (According to Gerard, the very first werewolves were brought into creation by some angry Gods and a group of Druids who taught the wolves how to shift into human form.) In an awesome reveal, Gerard told Scott and Allison that Deaton and his guidance counselor sister were the emissaries in question–though Deaton’s put that past behind him, his sister is still the Druidic adviser to the current Alpha pack wreaking havoc on Beacon Hills.

Photo Courtesy of MTV

Lastly, the story of the Deucalion’s present-day blindness. Gerard was ambushed inside the abandoned building where the wolf had been severed by the hunters. Of course, Gerard was prepared–he turned on the steam to distract/hinder the wolves, then whipped out a terrifying homemade weapon that was essentially a wooden club lined with spikes. As he clubbed away at several wolves, the Deucalion managed to slip outside. Unfortunately, Gerard caught up to him, held up two of those arrows Allison loves (the ones that emit electrical shocks or fire–something violent, anyway), and stabbed them into the Deucalion’s eyes.

When the injured Deucalion ran to Deaton, the vet/Druid adviser informed the Alpha he would be blind forever, though his eyes would heal–when the Alpha sent everyone out of the room so he could be free to breakdown in peace, one of his power-hungry pack members refused to leave, thinking he could easily kill his blinded leader and become an Alpha himself. But, surprise!, the Deucalion has the ability to see whenever he’s in wolf form, and he quickly killed the mutinous pack member.

Photo Courtesy of MTV

As Scott and Allison left Gerard, Scott paused for a moment to threaten Gerard’s life if it turned out he was lying, and his lies got someone killed; Derek, who’d been missing for the entire episode (his present day self, at least), returned to the sight of the werewolf ambush and found the werewolf revenge symbol Ennis had carved into the building in anger.